Mobile telephones having functions for entering and registering telephone numbers and names of parties or the like, and function for retrieving information from the registered directory lists, and function for creating and retrieving personal information as well as schedule and electronic mails (email) are known. Generally, an input device such as a ten-key or the input device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-34620 is used for registering information in the above mentioned directory list, personal information, schedule, or email. Further, selection means disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-297891 may be used for selecting any one of the plurality parties already registered in the directory list or the like.
Weight and size of the mobile telephone is decreasing, while the functions provided therein are increasing day by day. Considering this fact, the mobile telephone is getting short of space for incorporating therein the input device and the various types of function keys or the like. From the ergonomic point of view, it is disadvantageous to arrange a large number of input devices in a small space, because such an arrangement worsens the operability of the mobile telephone. In order to overcome this disadvantage due to a small space, allocating multiple functions to one input device may be considered. However, when multiple functions are allocated to one input device, the user is required to memorize all the functions allocated to the input device so that the load on the user increases. Further, from the psychological pressure due to remembering the information, the operational procedure becomes complicated. Further, now a days it is common for the mobile telephones to incorporate means for inputting characters for writing an email. However, the method of inputting the characters in the conventional mobile telephone is very complicated.
The present invention has been made for solving the problems described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal which can realize versatility and downsizing by utilizing minimum entry keys and significantly improve the usability.